Game of the Night: New York Knicks vs. Brooklyn Nets

On a usual basis, the Miami Heat vs. Chicago Bulls game would be the best bet to watch tonight, if not for the most recent injury bug to have bitten Derrick Rose once again. Let’s hope and pray that Derrick Rose will have a great career after the two injuries to both knees the last two and half seasons and hope he does not have a career like Grant Hill. Everyone loved Grant, everyone loves Derrick. Get well soon D-Rose, not only for NBA fans sake, but for your sake.

So that only leaves one game left for the choice of game of the night, the ‘Whose team will crack under the New York pressure first?’ bowl, between the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets in the Barclay’s Center.

Nov 05, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Knicks head coach Mike Woodson talks with forward Carmelo Anthony (7) during the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wachovia Center. The Knicks defeated the Sixers 110-88. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

This game is going to be a good one and not only for basketball purposes, which is probably the most disappointing headline leading into tonight’s match-up. During the off-season, there was much anticipation for this game between the two neighboring teams in New York. The Nets acquired Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce via trade from Boston to go along with their star point guard Deron Williams. This was a one shot deal for the Nets to finally challenge in the East in what some would say are the final year(s) of the Hall of Fame careers of Pierce and Garnett. Recently retired player, Jason Kidd, was getting his first crack at coaching in the NBA with the Nets and many assumed his job was easy with the roster they assembled.

For the Knicks, many did not know what to think because of the salary situation. They could not do much free agent wise, but they did spend a nice little amount obtaining Andrea Bargnani from the Raptors via trade to bolster a large front-court with limited talent outside of Carmelo Anthony. Amare has been a shell of himself every since the Carmelo trade, which might be the most disappointing aspect of the Knicks the last two seasons. Melo and Amare have yet to form the formidable presence the league feared when Anthony was trade to New York. And to add more fuel to the fire, there are rumors that tonight could be the last night for head coach, Mike Woodson.

Both teams have stumbbled out of the gate with the Knicks posting a 3-13 record, only slightly better than the Milwaukee Bucks at the moment. The Nets are not any better with just a 5-13 mark, most recently getting destroyed on their home court by the Denver Nuggets, 111-87 on Tuesday night.

Pick: This is a hard game to pick, because I never want to see a team’s future predicated off of a lose this early in the season, but the Nets apparently have more room for error with the number of injuries to key players on their roster at the moment, but with that said I am rooting for the Knicks. I have to think that with this game as important as it is this early in the season, the Knicks have to win; not only for their standings, not only for their fans, but for their future. Melo looks more and more likely to leave after this season and the salary cap does not get any nicer for the Knicks until after next season. KnicksTape…..show me what you got tonight. Knicks 103- Nets 100.